Method for adjusting transmission parameters from a transmitter for digital radio signals

ABSTRACT

A method for adjusting transmission parameters of a transmitter for digital radio signals, preferably broadcast signals, is proposed, in which context a receiving apparatus receives the digital radio signals emitted by the transmitter and transfers data to the transmitter via a return channel, transfer data and reception parameters being contained in the data. The transmitter then optimizes the transmission parameters as a function of these data. It is possible in this context that in the data, the transfer data either contain the received digital radio signals, or already have evaluation data from the receiving apparatus. The method is suitable in particular for digital radio signals that are transferred below 30 MHz. The return channel can be operated either in simplex mode from the receiving apparatus to the transmitter, or in duplex mode.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0001] The invention proceeds from a method for adjusting transmission parameters of a transmitter for digital radio signals, according to the species recited in the independent claim.

[0002] The DAB (digital audio broadcasting) system, in which digital radio signals are transferred in particular for mobile reception in motor vehicles, is already in use. DRM (Digital Radio Mondial) is a digital broadcast transfer system designed for transfer bands below 30 MHz, and is presently in development. Transmission parameters are adjusted with the aid of propagation forecasts, en-route measurements, or listener reports. Regional environmental influences that are of interest in particular for DRM are thereby taken into account. Changes over time cannot be sufficiently detected with these methods.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The method according to the present invention for adjusting transmission parameters of a transmitter for digital radio signals, having the features of the independent claim, has, in contrast, the advantage that the determination of the transfer and reception quality of the digital radio signals, in particular broadcast signals, and the adjustment of the transmission parameters, are automated. In addition, advantageously, a return channel is used that is independent of the radio channel for the digital broadcast signals. With the method according to the present invention, the transfer quality of the digital broadcast signals is adapted to regional conditions and improved. The method according to the present invention furthermore serves to check the transmitter.

[0004] The features and developments set forth in the dependent claims make possible advantageous improvements of the method described in the independent claim for adjusting transmission parameters of a transmitter for digital radio signals.

[0005] It is particularly advantageous that the digital broadcast signals received by the receiving apparatus are transferred, at least in part, directly to the transmitter so that the transmitter then itself performs the evaluation. The receiving apparatus thus acts only as a relay station, and the computation-intensive evaluation can be shifted to the transmitter. It is thereby possible, advantageously, to use commercial receiving units provided they have an interface for connection to a return channel, a mobile telephone being connected to the receiving apparatus. Specifically, they do not then need to possess any function that goes beyond the normal functionality of the receiving apparatus.

[0006] The digital broadcast signals are then transferred via a return channel that is embodied either in wire-conducted fashion, for example the public telecommunications network, or wirelessly with a high level of error protection.

[0007] Alternatively or additionally, it is possible for the receiving apparatus already to determine the channel parameters and reception parameters from the received digital broadcast signals, so that the transmitter then needs only to optimize its transmitter parameters using the channel parameters and reception parameters. This is advantageous if the receiving apparatus has appropriate means, i.e. a processor, that perform this evaluation, normal operation of the receiving apparatus, i.e. the reception of digital broadcast signals and reproduction of those signals, not being disrupted in that context. It is then possible, simply by running additional software on the processor of the receiving apparatus, to implement this evaluation capability for the channel parameters. The reception parameters are evaluated in any case by the receiving apparatus; functions therefor are then provided to ensure that the reception parameters are transferred to the transmitter. In the context of combined evaluation in the transmitter and in the receiving apparatus, evaluation of the received broadcast signals can be distributed so that, advantageously, the transmitter carries most of the evaluation load, since it is easier to provide more computation performance in a transmitter.

[0008] It is furthermore advantageous that the Doppler spread, echo delay time difference, signal-to-noise separation, and common-channel and adjacent-channel interference are determined as channel parameters, and that a comprehensive characterization of the transfer channel thus exists. The transmitter is then capable of optimally adjusting its transmission parameters.

[0009] It is additionally advantageous that the receiving apparatus determines the bit error rate and the erroneous checksum tests (cyclic redundancy check=CRC) as reception parameters. These data are also determined in the receiving apparatus in normal operation upon decoding of the digital broadcast signals, so that the receiving apparatus need not have any additional functionality therefor.

[0010] It is additionally advantageous that the transmission frequency, channel coding, source data rate, transfer rate, modulation, and transmitted power level are adjusted as transmitter parameters to be optimized. The transmission frequency offers the advantage that if severe damping phenomena occur on one frequency, it is possible to switch to an alternative frequency. The channel coding can be made simpler or more complex depending on the error rate; this must be viewed in conjunction with the transfer rate and the source data rate. The source data rate should be increased if the transfer conditions are very good. A high volume of usable data can thus be transferred. Under poor conditions with a fixed transfer rate, the channel coding rate can be increased by decreasing the source data rate. Error protection is then thereby increased. The modulation can also be modified by raising or lowering the modulation depth, if this is possible. With a poor signal-to-noise separation it is appropriate in particular to increase the transmitted power level, which can be lowered at the receiving apparatus if the signal-to-noise separation is very good.

[0011] It is additionally advantageous that, if different data are being transferred in the digital broadcast signals as services, and different priorities are allocated to the services, the source data rate and the transfer rate can be allocated to said services depending on priority. For example, if a data transfer is also being performed in addition to the normal broadcast program, then under poor transfer conditions the source data rate for the broadcast program can be maintained, while it is decreased for the data service in order to take the poor transfer conditions into account.

[0012] It is furthermore advantageous that, if a transfer is accomplished in packets, the repetition rate of the packets is modified depending on the transfer quality. The repetition rate is accordingly raised under poor conditions, so that the probability of correct reception of the packets is also increased. Under very good transfer conditions, the repetition rate can be decreased so that ultimately the net transfer rate is increased. More information can then therefore be transferred without repetitions in a given time period.

[0013] When orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) signals are used, it is advantageous that depending on the transfer condition, the carrier frequency spacing and the length of the protective interval are adapted to the transfer condition as transmission parameters. These modified transmission parameters must also be reported to the receiving apparatus, preferably in a service data element that is always transferred in the same fashion. This then makes possible correct evaluation of the received data by the receiving apparatus.

[0014] It is additionally advantageous that the receiving apparatus compares the reception parameters and/or the channel parameters (if the receiving apparatus itself evaluates the channel parameters) to threshold values in order to determine whether a transfer to the transmitter via the return channel is necessary in order to perform an adaptation of the transmitter parameters. This advantageously economizes on transfer bandwidth, since a transfer from the receiving apparatus to the transmitter is performed only if an adaptation of the transmission parameters is necessary. A permissible working range for the transmission parameters is thereby recited.

[0015] It is additionally advantageous that the transfer of transfer data and reception parameters is performed only at specific points in time that are prerecited, since experience indicates that adaptation of the transmission parameters need not occur continuously. The effects that influence transfer quality, such as environmental influences, are in some cases diurnally dependent or in fact change over a period of months.

[0016] It is furthermore advantageous that the return channel is operated in duplex fashion, so that control and/or interrogation of the receiving apparatus by the transmitter can be accomplished. The return channel is to be provided either as a radio channel or as a combination of a radio channel and a wire-conducted transfer. A transfer via the Internet is particularly advantageous in this context, since in this case the reception parameters determined by the receiving apparatus can be stored and then retrieved by the transmitter at specific times. Advantageously, it is possible to use for this purpose reference devices that are used only for checking the reception quality of the digital broadcast signals, these reference devices simultaneously monitoring multiple transmissions on a time- or frequency-multiplexed basis.

[0017] It is additionally advantageous that the transmitter is operated in a common-frequency network, the data determined by the receiving apparatus then being transferred to a main station which then transfers appropriate data to the individual transmitters.

[0018] It is additionally advantageous that the method according to the present invention is used for digital broadcast signals that are transferred below 30 MHz. These signals are particularly susceptible to environmental influences, so that an optimization of the transmitter parameters as a function of measurements by receiving apparatuses is necessary in this case.

[0019] Lastly, it is also advantageous that a transmitter and a receiving apparatus each have means for carrying out the method according to the present invention.

DRAWING

[0020] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are depicted in the drawings and explained in more detail in the description which follows. In the drawings:

[0021]FIG. 1 shows a transfer system, and FIG. 2 the method according to the present invention as a flow chart.

DESCRIPTION

[0022] Digital broadcast systems possess a variety of transfer modes in which they can be operated. A transfer mode is characterized by a set of transmission parameters. The transmission parameters include all the parameters that can be adjusted at the transmission end in the source coder, the modulator, and the transmission amplifier. These include, for example, the source data rate, code rate, and transmitted power level. The transfer modes are used to ensure sufficiently good transfer quality over different transfer channels. These differing properties of the transfer channels result from differences in transmission frequency and from fluctuating propagation conditions. For channels below 30 MHz in particular, very considerable fluctuations in channel parameters such as Doppler spread, echo delay time difference, and signal-to-noise separation can occur as a function of time. These also result in fluctuations in reception parameters. The reception parameters include all the parameters that are measured by the receiver and that provide information about the transfer parameters and reception quality, for example the bit error rate.

[0023] As regards fluctuations in the transfer channel, a distinction can be made between short-term (on the order of seconds and minutes) and longer-term (on the order of hours, day, and months).

[0024] According to the present invention, data that were obtained on the basis of received digital broadcast signals are therefore transferred from a receiving apparatus via a return channel to a transmitter. Transfer data and reception parameters are transferred in the data, so that the transmitter adjusts the transmission parameters as a function of those data. The transfer data are either the received digital broadcast data themselves, or channel parameters that are calculated by the receiving apparatus using the received digital broadcast signals. The reception parameters or channel parameters are compared by the receiving apparatus to threshold values so that the return channel is opened, and the data for optimizing the transmission parameters are transferred to the transmitter, only if the values exceed or fall below those thresholds. Alternatively, it is possible for the data from the receiving apparatus to be transferred from the receiving apparatus to the transmitter at specific prerecited points in time. With duplex operation of the return channel, it is possible for the transmitter to query data from the receiving apparatus or to control the receiving apparatus in order to measure specific signals. It is possible in this context for a receiving apparatus to receive a variety of broadcast signals that are transferred on a variety of frequencies.

[0025]FIG. 1 depicts a transfer system in which a transmitter 13 transfers digital broadcast signals to a receiving apparatus 14. A further connection between receiving apparatus 14 and transmitter 13 exists by way of a return channel 12 that is configured in duplex mode.

[0026] Transmitter 13 has a data source 1, a source coder 2, a modulator 3, a transmission amplifier 4, an antenna 5, a processor 6, and a communications device 11. Receiving apparatus 14 has an antenna 7, a high-frequency receiver 8, a processor 9, and a communications device 10.

[0027] Data source 1 supplies digital data to a first data input of a source coder 2. Processor 6 is connected to a second data input of source coder 2. The output data of source coder 2 are transferred to a first data input of modulator 3. Processor 6 is connected to a second data input of modulator 3. The output data of modulator 3 go to a first data input of a transmission amplifier 4. Processor 6 is connected via its third data output to a second data input of transmission amplifier 4. Processor 6 is connected to communications device 11 via a data input/output. Antenna 5 is connected to an output of transmission amplifier 4. Communications device 11 is connected to return channel 12 via a data input/output.

[0028] Antenna 7 is connected to an input of high-frequency receiver 8. High-frequency receiver 8 is connected via a data input/output to processor 9. Processor 9 is connected to communications device 10 via a second data input/output. Communications device 10 is connected via its second data input/output to return channel 12.

[0029] The data to be transferred are transferred from data source 1 to source coder 2. Data source 1 in this case is a data memory from which the broadcast signals to be transferred are read and then transferred to source coder 2. A playback unit for audio media (a CD-ROM drive) is present in this case as the data memory. Alternatively, it is possible for data source 1 to be a microphone with connected electronics, which serves to digitize the acoustic signals that have been converted into electrical signals.

[0030] Source coder 2 reduces the data coming from data source 1 in terms of data volume, by the fact that irrelevance that are not necessary for the reconstruction of the data in receiving apparatus 14 is removed from said data.

[0031] In modulator 3, data protection is added to the data by channel coding, allowing incorrectly received data to be reconstructed. The data are also modulated. Firstly the information contained in the data is modulated by an angle modulation, in this case a quadrature amplitude modulation; and then the modulation symbols thus produced are distributed onto mutually independent frequency carriers (OFDM). A protective interval is also added to the data to be transferred, ensuring that no superimposition of useful data occurs as a result of multipath propagation. A service data element that is required for synchronization and for reception is also added.

[0032] In transmission amplifier 4, the data modulated in this fashion are converted into analog signals and amplified. The broadcast signals are then transmitted using antenna 5. Processor 6 optimizes the adjustments of source coder 2, modulator 3, and transmission amplifier 4 as a function of data received by processor 6 from communications device 11. Communications device 11 in turn receives these data via return channel 12 from communications device 10 of receiving apparatus 14.

[0033] Receiving apparatus 14 receives, using antenna 7, the digital broadcast signals emitted by transmitter 13. These broadcast signals are then filtered, amplified, and converted into an intermediate frequency by high-frequency receiver 8. A digitization is also performed in high-frequency receiver 8. The digital data are then transferred to processor 9, which performs a demodulation (first an OFDM demodulation and then a demodulation of the QAM-modulated signals), an error correction, and a source decoding. Processor 9 determines, as the reception parameters, the bit error rate and the erroneous checksum tests that are determined during channel decoding. Processor 9 furthermore removes specific data, constituting the transfer data, from the digital broadcast signals. In DRM, these transfer data are the so-called static data channel (SDC) symbols, as well as pilots that are transferred with a known phase and amplitude and can therefore be used to determine channel parameters which characterize the radio channel. Based on these transfer data, either processor 9 determines the channel parameters, or these data are transferred using communications device 10 to transmitter 13 via return channel 12. In addition, the reception parameters determined by receiving apparatus 14 are transferred to transmitter 13.

[0034] Return channel 12 is in this case a combination of a radio transfer using a mobile radio system—for example GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) or GPRS (General Packet Radio System) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) and a wire-conducted transfer mode via the public telecommunications network, i.e. ISDN or Internet. Alternatively, it is possible for an exclusively radio connection or an exclusively wire-conducted connection to exist between transmitter 13 and receiving apparatus 14. It is additionally possible for more than one receiving apparatus to receive the digital broadcast signals and to convey these data via a return channel to transmitter 13. It is then left up to transmitter 13 to perform an optimization using these various data of the individual receiving apparatuses.

[0035]FIG. 2 depicts the method according to the present invention as a flow chart. In method step 15, receiving apparatus 14 receives the digital broadcast data via antenna 7. The digital broadcast data are then processed, as presented above, by high-frequency receiver 8 and converted into digital signals. The data are then transferred to processor 9.

[0036] In method step 16, processor 9 then performs a determination of the reception parameters. For that purpose, during channel decoding processor 9 determines the bit error rate, in which context the channel coding indicates how many bits were received erroneously. The received digital broadcast signals additionally contain data furnished for the calculation of checksums. These checksums also provide information as to whether the transferred data were or were not transferred correctly. Processor 9 counts the erroneous checksums proportional to the transferred data volume, and indicates the bit error rate and the number of erroneous checksums as the reception parameters, for transfer to transmitter 13.

[0037] Method step 17 checks whether receiver 14 or transmitter 13 is to perform the evaluation of the digital broadcast signals in order to determine the channel parameters. If that is the case, then in method step 19, receiving apparatus 19 performs the evaluation of the digital broadcast signals using processor 9. The Doppler spread, echo delay time difference, signal-to-noise separation, and common-channel and adjacent-channel interference of the received digital broadcast signals are determined as the transfer parameters. These parameters are not static.

[0038] The Doppler spread describes the time-selective properties of the transfer channel. A time-dependent damping is observed in this context. The echo delay time difference describes the property of multipath propagation, in which the same signal can arrive at the receiver over different paths. This is well understood in mobile radio systems and broadcast systems. The signal-to-noise separation describes the ratio between the useful signal and noise. The signal level alone can also be used as a simple indication; this also provides an indication of damping. The common-channel and adjacent-channel interference indicates the way in which adjacent channels interfere with one another due to crosstalk. These channel parameters are ascertained from the digital broadcast signals.

[0039] In method step 18, the channel parameters are then transferred, with the reception parameters, via return channel 12 using communication device 10. If it was established in method step 17 that determination of the channel parameters is performed by transmitter 13, then the transfer data—i.e. the broadcast signals and the reception parameters ascertained by receiving apparatus 14—are transferred to transmitter 13 in method step 18. The embodiment of communications devices 10 and 11 depends on which return channel is used. If a fixed network is used, communications devices 10 and 11 are configured as modems. If a radio channel is used, a transmit/receive station is required. In a development, it is possible for the transfer data and reception parameters to be stored on an Internet page, and then to be retrieved by transmitter 13 at prerecited times. If the return channel is embodied in duplex fashion, as presented here, control of receiving apparatus 14 by transmitter 13 is also possible, specifically in such a way that data are queried from the receiving apparatus at specific times. A modification of the reception frequencies is also possible in this context. An action of this kind can then be performed, in particular, on reference units provided for the purpose.

[0040] In method step 19, processor 6 checks whether transmitter 13 is to perform the evaluation of the digital broadcast signals, or whether they have already been evaluated. This is contained in the data that were transferred to transmitter 13 via return channel 12. If no evaluation has been performed by receiving apparatus 14, then in method step 20 this evaluation is performed by processor 6 as set forth above. An optimization of the transmitter parameters is then performed in method step 21. Optimization of the transmitter parameters in method step 21 is also performed immediately if it was established in method step 19 that the evaluation has already been carried out. Regarding optimization of the transmitter parameters, it is important to ensure that for specific values for the reception parameters and transmitter parameters, transmitter 13 loads respective specific sets of values for the transmitter parameters, and then transfers those values to source coder 2, modulator 3, and transmission amplifier 4. Advantageously, an index is created from the channel parameters and reception parameters and is then compared with these threshold values in order to load the appropriate set of transmission parameters. Alternatively, it is also possible for processor 6 to calculate a set of transmission parameters from the channel parameters and reception parameters. In that context, processor 6 then knows a model according to which this calculation is performed.

[0041] In method step 22, the transmission parameters are then appropriately adjusted so that the digital broadcast signals are now sent with the optimized transmission parameters.

[0042] Return channel 12 can also, alternatively, be embodied as a simplex channel, in which case transfer is possible only from receiving apparatus 14 to transmitter 13.

[0043] If data are transferred in a packet mode, the repetition rate is then an adjustable transmission parameter. Various services, audio or video or data or prioritized data, can be variously taken into consideration in adjusting the transmission parameters. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for adjusting transmission parameters of a transmitter (13) for digital radio signals, in particular broadcast signals, at least one receiving apparatus (14) receiving the digital radio signals emitted by the transmitter (13), wherein the at least one receiving apparatus (14) transfers data to the transmitter (13) via a return channel (12); at least portions of the received radio signals, and/or reception parameters and channel parameters, are transferred in the data; and the transmitter (13) adjusts the transmission parameters as a function of the data.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least portions of the received digital radio signals are used by the transmitter (13) for adjusting the transmission parameters, the transmitter (13) ascertaining the reception parameters and channel parameters from the at least portions of the received digital radio signals.
 3. The method as recited in claim 1 or 2, wherein the reception parameters and channel parameters that are evaluated by the receiving apparatus (14), using the at least portions of the received digital radio signals, are used by the transmitter (13) for adjustment of the transmission parameters.
 4. The method as recited in claim 2 or 3, wherein for adjustment of the transmission parameters, the Doppler spread, echo delay time difference, signal-to-noise separation, and common-channel and adjacent-channel interference of the received digital radio signals are determined from the channel parameters.
 5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein for adjustment of the transmission parameters, the bit error rate of the received digital radio signals and the number of erroneous checksum tests are determined by the at least one receiving apparatus (14) from the reception parameters.
 6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the transmission frequencies and/or channel coding and/or source data rate and/or modulation and/or transmitted power level and/or transfer rate are adjusted as the transmission parameters.
 7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein, if the transfer rate can be distributed over different services, the transfer rate and/or the source data rate are assigned to the different services as a function of their priority.
 8. The method as recited in claim 6 or 7, wherein, when the digital radio signals are transferred in a packet mode, the packet repetition rate is adjusted as a transmission parameter.
 9. The method as recited in claim 6, 7, or 8, wherein if the digital radio signals are transferred in orthogonal frequency multiplex (OFDM) mode, the carrier frequency spacing and the length of the protective interval are adjusted as the further transmission parameters.
 10. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the channel parameters and/or reception parameters are compared to at least one threshold value; and the data are transferred via the return channel (12) only if the at least one threshold value is exceeded or undershot.
 11. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the channel parameters and/or reception parameters are evaluated at specific points in time.
 12. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the return channel (12) is operated in duplex mode.
 13. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter (13) is operated in a common-frequency network, the at least one receiving apparatus being connected to a main station of the common-frequency network.
 14. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the digital radio signals are transferred at transmission frequencies below 30 MHz.
 15. A transmitter for implementing the method as recited in one of claims 1 through 14, wherein the transmitter has a data source (1), a source coder, a modulator (3), a transmission amplifier (4), an antenna (5), a processor (6) for ascertaining the transmission parameters, and a first communications device (11) for communicating via the return channel.
 16. A receiving apparatus for implementing the method as recited in one of claims 1 through 14, wherein the receiving apparatus has an antenna (7) for receiving the digital broadcast signals, a high-frequency receiver (8), a processor (9) for ascertaining the reception parameters and/or channel parameters, and a second communications device (10) for communicating via the return channel (12). 